


The Carolina Incident

by Illusion_Of_Sea_Axes



Series: Project Free-Rider [1]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Carolina pulls a dick move, Gen, Pretty canon-compliant for an AU, There's spacecrafts, Washington POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 17:53:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16815568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Illusion_Of_Sea_Axes/pseuds/Illusion_Of_Sea_Axes
Summary: Agent Washington is scheduled for his first live test with The Olympia. Agent South Dakota is scheduled for her first live test with The Pierre the same day. Carolina decides that they can wait an extra week or two; Agent Texas cannot.





	The Carolina Incident

Washington walked along the catwalk, one hand gliding along on the railing. His suit’s clock ticked along, reminding him that it was rather late at night even though lighting in most of the hangar was rather dimmed, except for where it stared down at the ships, however, only one was on Washington’s mind. He was only focused on one. 

His ship, the name painted in big, blocky letters on the sides. _ The Olympia. _

It wasn’t the biggest ship in the hangar, it wasn’t the smallest either. It had a paint job that reminded Washington of his amor. Gray with yellow accents. A symbol that it was  _ his _ . Of course, that left it as one of the least vibrant ships. 

A mechanic was doing a checkover on  _ The Pierre _ nearby, making them one of the only other people in the hangar aside from Agent Washington and the AI that ran the base, if she could be counted. She had reminded Agent Washington once about the time and how if he didn’t sleep soon, it would throw off the sleep schedule the counselor had advised he establish to maintain optimal performance. She didn’t make any other attempts at conversation or convincing Washington to go to bed.

“You know, staring at her isn’t gonna make her bigger.” Washington spun around, heart rate briefly spiking, before he saw the familiar aqua armor of Carolina. It seemed she couldn’t sleep either. Or maybe F.I.L.S.S. had told him he was still wandering around.

“I- I wasn’t- wait, what?” Carolina was probably smiling behind her helmet and Washington could clearly imagine the sparkle in her eyes that she always got, like a big sister teasing her little brother.

Washington took a moment to gather his words into something coherent. “I- I wasn’t trying to make her bigger- I...”

“Yeah?” Carolina asked, stopping by his side to stare at the ship. It was a longer ship, meant to be more skilled in stealth and speed then for battle, which made it far less bulky than some of the other ships the other Agents were meant to operate, like Agent Texas’ (which could probably take on a major gunship easy enough. It was highly fortified and armed). 

“Yeah. It’s a fine ship just the way it is.” Washington had memorized the exterior at this point. He had yet to see the inside, as the final details were being established. After that, he would have plenty of time and tests to adapt to the controls. “I can’t wait to be behind the controls.” 

Carolina took off her helmet. “When are you due for the first flight test?’ 

“Three weeks from now. So it South” He glanced at Carolina, noting the way she looked at the ship with something that may have been regret or musing over unpleasant memories.

Briefly, Agent Washington found himself staring down the mangled remains of one of the small, simplistic gray fighters meant for the Agents without their own personal ships.

He blinked and the image vanished. 

“How long have you spent ogling at her?” 

“Uh…” Washington’s face flushed a light pink when he tried to figure out the date and realized just how long he’d been spending walking about the catwalks. 

“Oh my god, you’ve been watching the ship since it was first available to see, haven’t you?’ 

“Maybe…” Carolina laughed at him. “Oh- like you-!” Washington stopped himself. He had seen Carolina, smiling at the mechanics as they put together an aqua spacecraft of similar build to _The_ _Olympia_ , just with thicker armor plating and some unexpected forms of fire power and he had seen the look on her face as crew members took it away, the name remaining unpainted on the sides. 

Something flashed over Carolina’s face, but when she turned to stare down at  _ The Olympia _ it was gone. 

“I’m proud of you, Wash. You finally got yourself a ship. No more tiny, shitty shuttles!” Carolina cracked a grin, half-laughed, and pushed back from the railing. “You get to fly your own baby!” 

“It seems like you’re more attached to it than I am.” Washington pokes and Carolina throws a punch. A lazy punch, one he can duck away from, and he laughs. The sound echoes in the hangar and Washington hears something, probably a tool, clatter against the floor. 

“Just wait, Wash.” Carolina says, in something that sounds eerily like the conversation he first had with North after he’d gotten  _ The Bismarck _ . 

_ “Just wait, Wash. You’ll understand when you’ve got one of your own.”  _

Carolina lunged for a second punch, grinning, and Washington ducked to the side. She threw one with her left, one that Wash nearly didn’t avoid. She lashed out with a leg, arms tucked close to her body, and Washington quickly staggered away, stopped by the catwalk railing that groaned under his weight. Washington yelped, throwing his arms out for some form of returning his balance.

“Agent Carolina, Agent Washington, I suggest you two bring your sparring activities to either the training floor or stop completely. One of you may fall and become injured if you continue-”

“Yeah, yeah, FILSS, we got it!” Carolina called at the nearest speaker. “We’ll stop!’

“Thanks, FILSS.” Washington muttered, uprighting himself on the catwalk and letting out a breath of relief. 

“Thank you, agents.” 

Carolina’s smile remained as she gave Washington some breathing space and Washington’s mouth copied it. It fades a little more as she leans against the railing, looking rather dramatic. The railing creaks under the Agent in power armor. 

“You know, I didn’t think you’d get one so soon.” Her tone is somber and, while Washington’s grin diminishes to a quirk of the lip, he joins her at the railing.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, a while for York to get one. After that, it took ages for the North’s-” 

“I get it.” Washington stopped her before she got to Maine. “It took a while.”

“Yeah, at the beginning, most of us assumed the war would end before we got one.”

“I know, Carolina, I was there.” 

“I’m proud of you, fucking appreciate it. Jackass.” There was a smile to her words and it made Washington smile back. 

“Trust me, I do...” They watched the mechanic as they resumed their work at the jets of  _ The Pierre _ . “After all, I learned from the best.” 

“Shut up.” Carolina grins at him, but it fades quickly. Washington wonders if her brain now associates The Best with Agent Texas, if it’s hardwired into her, like all the martial arts moves she could perform in her sleep, or if it is a constant thought that needles her both on and off the training floor.

* * *

Five days before Washington’s first live test with  _ The Olympia  _ (not just practice in the simulator), the Director and the Counselor called him in to have a discussion with him. At first, he thought he was somehow in trouble, even though he hadn’t been doing anything noteworthy (by Freelancer standards). Carolina joked they might have finally decided to crack down on his habit of messy eating with his armor on. 

It turned out to be something completely different. Apparently,  _ The Olympia _ ’s first test was pushed back. 

“I-” Washington cleared his throat, remained at attention. “I understand, sir, but may I ask why?” 

“As you know, each specifically designed ship is meant for one agent. However, on the field, a single human pilot is not sufficient enough to operate the ship at its full capacity.” Agent Washington was vaguely reminded of Agent Utah. “So, we partnered AI with agents to assist.”

“Yessir, I know this. I was scheduled for a live test with the Eta program five days from now.” Agent Washington said at the first available pause in the Director’s speech. The man nodded. 

“Yes, you were. However, Agent Carolina has decided that she will be taking the Eta program to assist her in operating  _ The Columbia. _ ” The name sounded both familiar and weird to Washington’s ears at the same time. “So, you will have to wait until we receive a new AI to assign you.” 

Washington was silent, processing, and somehow failing. Carolina? She had taken Agent Washington’s assigned AI? The same woman who had given up her assigned AI and thus her ship, for Agent Maine? The one who had repeatedly told him how amazing he would do (with the expected amount of teasing) and how proud she was for him to join the group of those who didn’t need to take the slightly modified fighters that felt as unfriendly as any Insurrectionist base and dumber than the bully Washington had shoved into a mirror as a kid. 

“What about South Dakota?” 

“She has also been delayed, Agent Washington.”

“Is there an error with the ship?” 

“No. Agent Carolina has decided to take her assigned AI as well.” 

The holographic screens flickered, displaying information Washington couldn’t read and images he couldn’t discern, but it all made much more sense to him then what the counselor and the Director were telling him.

“What?” Comes out, small, unbidden, but they don’t criticize him for it. “Is- Where is she?” 

“Currently, she is being analyzed by our doctors.” The counselor’s voice was supposed to be soothing, but Washington was just unsettled by it. The only agents who found his tone soothing were Agent Florida, Agent Maine, and Agent Wyoming. But then again, a chorus of death and gunfire could be soothing to Florida if he decided to put himself in the mindset. “She is scheduled for her first live test on  _ The Columbia _ in 50 hours.”

“Wh- if you don’t mind me asking, sir, where is  _ The Columbia _ now-?” He had assumed they had locked it up, or scrapped it for parts to make other spacecrafts, since Carolina didn’t seem interested in trying to be assigned a new AI.

“That is irrelevant information to you, Agent Washington.” The Director said, once again sounding angry and bitter as he always seemed to, like his specially trained, hand-picked soldiers were a personal disappointment to him.

(If anyone had even a hint of daddy issues before joining the project, they were surely in an unstable mindset constantly. He somehow managed to bring that though upon Agent Washington, somehow.)

“You are dismissed.”

“Sir-”

“Dismissed, Agent. Agent South Dakota will be debriefed, but not by you, and you will certainly not interrupt Agent Carolina, she has multiple preparations to follow and not enough time to deal with you.

“With all do respect, so have I, sir.” The sir was thrown in, a panicked instinct reminding Washington that he didn’t have the authority to request much more. He hoped the ‘sir’ showed all the respect he injected into it.

The director frowned at him, almost scowling, a near snarl as he repeated; “You are  _ dismissed _ , Agent. Leave.” 

Washington took a step back, movements stiff, and he heard the whoosh of the door behind him. 

“Yessir.” He turned and left as fast as was respectable. The door snapped shut the moment he was past the threshold, and he had to stop himself from collapsing against the wall and sucking in a deep breath. The ship’s crew members walked past, mostly ignoring him. He desperately wanted to take off his helmet, breath outside of the stuffy confines of his suit, but he understood that the Director hated it when they did that and he didn’t want to cause a problem. He could find and talk to Carolina when he saw her at the mess hall at the next scheduled meal. 

Washington returned to the locker room where North and York were already waiting. He dropped onto a bench and unlatched his helmet, dropping it in the space next to him. 

“You alright, Wash?” He looks up and York is looking down at him, probably concerned behind his visor. “Did something happen during your talk with the Director?”

“I’m fine, nothing happened, he just…” Washington leaned back, running his hands through his hair. They cut it when he first joined the military. After he joined Project Freelancer, that was no longer a requirement of him. He took a glance around. He didn’t see South. 

“My live test got pushed back.”

“What? Why?” Now, York sounded really concerned. “Did something happen to  _ The Olympia _ ?”

“No, I- Carolina, she… She decided to take my AI.”

Silence. The hum of the lights, the slightest scrape of armor plates as North turned to look at him.

“Did you say Carolina?” 

“Yes.” Washington’s hands dropped to his knees. “I- I don’t know what the fuck happened, she just decided she wanted an AI to run  _ The Columbia. _ ” 

“They kept it?” North muttered, almost to himself.

“Wait- no, Carolina wouldn’t do that. She gave up Sigma to Maine,  _ voluntarily _ , she wouldn’t do this.” 

“That’s- That’s what I thought, but- that’s what they told me.”

“When is her live test due?” North asked, seemingly less focused on Carolina’s off behavior in comparison to York. 

“They said she was going through the preparations in the next fifty hours-”

“What?” Now York sounded a bit angry. Or maybe Washington was misconstruing his confusion. “When were you scheduled again? Five days from now?”

“Yeah,” Washington affirms, even though York likely has already gathered this information over the past two weeks Washington spent trying not to bug people (but failing) about his new ship. 

“And they’re-! Delta-!” A green light flashed at York’s shoulder, taking the form of a soldier. 

“Running the calculation now, Agent York.” The voice, calm and collected, failed to ease the sudden tenseness in York’s posture. 

“They’re rushing her.” 

“Why? So she doesn’t have the same day as South?”

“No…” Washington realizes he didn’t tell them. “South got pushed back, too. Carolina decided to have her AI, too.”

“What?” North and York ask in unison. Delta pauses his calculations to talk.

“North?” Theta appeared over North’s shoulder. “What’s going on?”

“Something, Theta, we aren’t sure right now. Delta, is Wash right?” 

“Yes. According to the schedule, Agent South Dakota’s first live test with  _ The Pierre  _ has been delayed indefinitely, as has Agent Washington’s first live test with  _ The Olympia _ . Agent Carolina is scheduled in forty-nine hours from now to have her first live test with _The Columbia_ and both the Eta and Iota AI units.”

“Jesus!” York growls. 

“South got pushed back?” Theta asked, sounding so child-like it was almost alien to Washington.

“Yeah, I guess she did.” 

“Would you like me to still run the calculation, Agent York?” 

“No, Delta. But, why the hell are they rushing her like this?”

“I do not know, Agent York. Logically, she should have a longer time to make preparations, due to the fact she is doing something that no other Agent in the program has done before. It is unknown how two AI units affect the pilot, or the spacecraft they are meant to be assisting in flying.”

“Are they just going to forgo all the operations to make her compatible for the units? Like how they did for me? And North?” York asked. Washington wished he could see his face, but at the same time was glad he couldn’t.

“No, she is scheduled for those following her medical exams later today.”

“Will she be in Recovery? Which one?”

“That information is unavailable to me at the moment, Agent York. There is a minimal time requirement between surgery and the first live test, which leaves her only a few hours to familiarize herself with the rules and functions of  _ The Columbia _ . Again.” 

“When does she get out of surgery?”

“It takes time, Agent York, and she has yet to be admitted  _ in  _ for surgery. I will inform you when she is available for you to visit.” 

“Thanks, D...” York sighed, dropping onto the nearest bench in a near-perfect imitation of Washington. He didn’t unlatch his helmet and take it off, he didn’t have the same fidgeting, hair-ruffling nervous ticks that Washington did, but that was fine.

“South is not gonna like this.” North says, finally, and Washington holds back his snarky comment that didn’t even have much heart behind it anyway. 

“No, no she isn’t.” 

An hour passed, Carolina went in for surgery, and North was clearly waiting for his sister's inevitable tantrum. Washington had expected them to debrief South sooner. 

Washington looked at the pictures of his cats, snacked on the freshest food (not very fresh) that he had in his locker, and York told him a handful of stories about the dumb stunts he (and Delta) pulled on missions (the ones he could talk about, anyway).

When Delta appeared again, York jumped to his feet.

  
“Is she out, D?” It was like an excited puppy seeing its human holding a leash.

“No, Agent York, but I just received an update to the schedule.” 

“What?”

“Agent Washington.” Delta turned to him and he stared. Washington stared back. “Your future operation has been established. Agent York, Carolina will be placed in Recovery 1-”

“I-  _ what _ ? You said it was delayed-!”

“It was. There has apparently been a change. You have been scheduled for the next implantation surgery, which is due a week from now.” 

Everyone’s eyes were on him. “What?” 

“The AI unit itself is not named, but you are scheduled to resume your live test preparations following the operation.”

Silence. Silence that was brutally killed by a loud (albeit, muffled) “WHAT!?” 

The angry, furious screeching of demands before the heavy, recognizable stomping of someone in power armor approached. Washington found himself tense, watching as the door slid open only for Agent South to storm in. 

North was in her pathway in a heartbeat, but she didn’t care. She turned, threw up her arms, and continued screaming. 

“THIS IS BULLSHIT!”

“South, calm down.” North said, playing peacemaker for his sister once again.

“CALM DOWN!? THAT’S EASY FOR  _ YOU  _ TO SAY, YOU ALREADY HAVE AN AI!” She was gesturing, wildly, and probably snarling behind the helmet. “WHO THE FUCK DOES SHE THINK SHE IS TO TAKE AWAY  _ OUR  _ PLACE!?” 

“Our turn will come. They already put me back on the-”

“ _ Wha _ t?” It comes out weird, furious, and somehow calm at the same time. Wrong words, very wrong words, Washington realized as he lurched back to avoid her as she lashed out with a kick, sending a bench into the nearby row of lockers. 

“You notice everytime you open your mouth, you make things worse.” Washington withers under the glare he can’t see.

“Sorry,” York might not mean what he says, but it still stings.

“And two AI? Why is she so special!? WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT EITHER OF THEM!?” She punctuates her sentence by punching Agent Texas’ locker. The thing bounces open, the nametag clatters, but it seems to have calmed South down a bit.

The whole atmosphere changes when Texas walks into the room. The situation ends with York inviting her down to Recovery 1 to wait for her.

And, of course, Agent South’s screaming rings in his head for a completely different reason.

* * *

Washington expects some things from Carolina when she finally wakes up. What he doesn’t expect is for her to lurch upright, green eyes focused and awake, and demanding a match. 

The Mother of Invention is in a empy part of space, they were en-route to a nearby moon where flight could properly be practised with a landing place. There was no place aboard the  _ Mother of Invention _ that could fit both  _ The Columbia  _ and _ The Austin  _ in close-range combat. No place was suited, either.

Fortunately, there was a specialized area designed on the  _ Mother Of Invention _ specifically to allow spacecraft training sessions off-world. 

That was what brought all the Freelancer agents to an observatory on the broad, flat metal bulkhead of the top of the _ Mother of Invention _ . An atmosphere could be established over the starting points in case of emergency, but the Freelancer suits allowed brief time outside of an established atmosphere and the grav boots. There were grav tethers, which would keep the ships close to the  _ Mother of Invention _ (two on the bulkhead at the starting points, the other two attached to each ship). It was like a safety tether, only not as intrusive and completely unable to get in the way of the fight. York decided to go out and join Carolina, briefly. South was absent completely.

FILSS was the one serving as control, everyone in the observatory could hear her and the responses over communication. 

“Agent Carolina, check communications.”

_ “Communications check, this is Agent Carolina.”  _ As she spoke, Carolina appeared on the screen attached to the left side of the window. She was strapped in her safety harness, looking over the controls that no one else could see from their angle. If she wasn’t wearing her helmet, they would have had a clear view of her face. 

York stood behind her and Washington realized he was attaching cables to her. Soon, she would have the experience and the memory needed to attach them herself, like York, Wyoming, Maine, Texas, and North.

“Agent Texas, check communications.

_ “Communications check, this is Agent Texas.”  _ As had Carolina, Agent Texas appeared on the screen to the right of the window.

“Agent Texas, please run diagnostics check.”

_ “Running diagnostics check… Everything is coming up good, FILSS.”  _

“Thank you, Agent Texas. Agent Carolina, please run diagnostics check.”

_ “Running.”  _ Carolina state, silent, no where near as relaxed (or bloodthristy, Washington couldn’t read Texas’ voice easily) as Texas’ was.  _ “System is running at full capacity.” _

“Thank you, Agent Carolina. Please confirm AI-Pilot link.”

_ “Confirming… AI-Pilot Link confirmed, FILSS. We’re ready to go.”  _

“Agent Texas, please confirm AI-Pilot link.” 

_ “AI-Pilot link confirmed. I’m ready to go.” _ Her response seemed far too fast, but FILSS didn’t correct her.

_ “Okay, so, you should stick to procedures you know. And listen to the AI, you can trust them.” _ York’s voice came on, not as clear as Carolina’s, but from her side of communications. 

“Agent York, please vacate  _ The Columbia _ .”

_ “One second, FILSS!” _

“Agent York, please immediately vacate _the Columbia_ , or you will be forcibly removed.”

_ “Go, York. I got this.” _ Carolina was focused, and she clearly wasn’t willing to talk with York much.

_ “Alright, alright.” _ Washington watched as York hopped out of  _ The Columbia _ , his grav boots keeping him on the metal bulkhead while he approached the decompression chamber that led back into the observatory. Carolina’s ship wasn’t as big as Agent Texas’ but it was compact, easily maneuverable, and heavily armored. Its weaponry was mostly hidden, aside from two guns attached to both sides.

“Agent Carolina, please confirm AI-Pilot link.”

_ “Confirmed. We’re ready, FILSS.” _

There was a pause and Washington watched as the jets of  _ The Columbia  _ and  _ The Austin _ prepared for the fight. There were towers, set to establish gravity in the case one of the ships was incapacitated and was unable to land. However, all the weaponry to be used was only meant to stun, not cause damage. The grav tethers were an insurance policy. 

“Anyone wanna bet one of them gets killed?” North asked in typical Freelancer fashion. Betting may not be a healthy habit, but it made observing training matches that much more personal. York stepped in, taking the space beside Wyoming. 

“Are you kidding me? I’m scared one of us is gonna get killed just by watching!” Washington responded, choking down his worry. 

“Today’s match is Agent Texas versus Agent Carolina,” FILSS announced. Washington was on edge, concerned for Carolina, who lacked the experience with  _ The Columbia _ and the AI units needed to run it. He could only hope they would operate well. “Round begins in three… two… one. Begin match. Good luck, ladies.” 

_ “Thanks, I won’t need it.” _ Both said over the communications at the same time as the spaceships set themselves into motion.  _ The Austin _ went straight up, _ The Columbia _ went straight at the bigger, heavily armed ship above it. Agent Washington saw  _ The Austin _ halt its rise, all weapons directing towards  _ The Columbia _ . If it weren’t for the lights,  _ The Austin _ could practically vanish among the darkness of space. 

“What the  _ hell  _ is going on here?” The Director’s voice gathered the Freelancers’ sudden attention. The counselor followed behind, as he usually did, looking at his data pad. “No matches have been authorized-” He looked out the broad window and his face paled. He lurched forward, hands smaking against the metal beneath it as he screamed; “ _ ALLISON _ !” 

Everything went to hell.

Washington lurched away as the sound of Delta and Theta’s voices came online, only to start echoing the Director. The rest joined in. Within a few seconds, the whispering echo became a roar. It took Washington a moment to realize it was coming on over the speakers, too.

_ The Columbia _ lurched in it’s charge, zooming underneath  _ The Austin _ . But that wasn’t because Carolina was pulling a trick. Washington looked to the screen to see Carolina’s hands were off the controls and clenching the sides of her helmet. 

_ “What the fuck is going on!?”  _ Texas demanded over the line. Washington couldn’t hear her AI in the chorus of echos. 

“ _ Allison _ ,” was screeching through the communications. It hurt Washington’s ears, but he could see quickly that he was the lucky Freelancer in the room. They were all yelling in agony.

York was grabbing at his helmet latch, staggering into the wall behind him as he tried to peel off his helmet. North and Wyoming dropped to their knees, Wyoming managed to get his helmet off first, face contorted in pain. He threw it, as if it had burned him, and it bounced off FILSS’ console. North was trying to just pull off his helmet, latch apparently forgotten. 

Maine was the only one who remained standing, but he was howling. A weird, gargling, agonized howl that Washington hadn’t heard before while he angrily smacked at his visor, presumably trying to shut up Sigma.

The AI were echoing- York was  _ screaming _ \- so was Carolina- Wash couldn’t stop it- stop them-  _ help them _ \- 

“STOP IT!” He begged to no one and everyone but it didn’t stop. 

Carolina’s video feed was layered in static, it distorted, it paused repeatedly on her clawing at her helmet latch, like a disturbing slide show. 

“She’s trying to take off her helmet!” Washington looked outside.  _ The Austin _ had turned, watching as  _ The Columbia _ seemed to float aimlessly towards the broadness of space, away from everything, because Carolina wasn’t grabbing the goddamn  _ controls _ \- 

The grav tether stopped her ship from going out too far and Washington watched the video feed, frozen, as Carolina thrashed in her safety harness, at her latch, trying to get out of the helmet.

“FILSS, pull her back in!” York shouted, panic clear in his voice. Washington spun around to see him, still wearing his helmet, pressed against the window. He hadn’t realized the AIs in the observatory had stopped. The Director was still watching _ The Austin  _ through the window. “Pull her back in, please!”

“That would violate protocol. I apologize, Agent York, but I cannot do that.”

“PLEASE!”

_ “I got this.” _ Texas called over the communications and Washington felt his heartbeat stagger. He watched as _ The Austin _ glided over Carolina’s ship - she was still screaming,  _ god _ .

_ “MAKE THEM STOP!” _ Carolina howled over the line, suddenly grabbing onto the controls again. Washington watched, his heartbeat staggering again as the ship suddenly lurched forward, faster then it was supposed to. 

_ “FUCK!” _ Agent Texas snapped, following in her trail. She wasn’t fast enough to stop _ The Columbia _ as it suddenly dove, sans landing gear, and Washington was sure he said something vulgar in time with York as the arced belly of  _ The Columbia  _ ground against metal. _The Austin_ abruptly went up as Agent Texas narrowly avoided ramming into the back end of  _ The Columbia _ . It looped around, extending landing gear before it stopped on the original starting point.

Carolina was still screaming and Washington watched as she finally threw off her helmet. It floated above her, gravity disabled within the cockpit of _ The Columbia _ . Wires attached to the chair kept it close. Washington suddenly wished she hadn’t taken it off, because he could see her face as she shrieked and clawed at the back of her head and failing to make whatever it was stop. She scrambled for the buckle of her harness. 

“FILSS, establish atmosphere, now!” York shouted, stepping back towards the decompression chamber so he could return outside, to help Carolina. 

“Understood, Agent York. Establishing atmosphere...” York seemed relieved she would do that for him, at least. Washington could see the vague shimmer as the technology formed atmosphere that domed over  _ The Austin _ and _ The Columbia _ , granting them breathing air at least for the moment.

Wyoming and North were back on their feet, watching as Agent Texas climbed out of  _ The Austin _ , running over to the ship she had been fighting moments before. A moment later, she forced open the door and went inside. Agent Washington saw her force open the cockpit entrance through Carolina’s feed. 

She grabbed Carolina’s shoulder, but Carolina shoved her hand away. Agent Texas looked up at the camera, staring directly at Washington. 

_ “Somebody get the fuck down here!”  _ The Director had apparently regained his composure, because when York lunged for the decompression door, he was stopped.

“Agent York, stand down.” 

“Sir, Carolina _needs_ -!”

“I said  _ stand down _ , Agent.” The counselor tapped him on the shoulder. 

“Sir, we should sedate Agent Carolina, we don’t know the damage-”

“No, counselor, she made a choice and now we will leave her be. Send in a crew to gather up _The Columbia_ and _The Austin_.”

“Yes, sir.” The counselor returned to his datapad and the Director turned his gaze on all the other Freelancers.

“You are all dismissed. _ Now _ .”

North placed a hand on Washington’s bicep, and then York’s, and they lead the way out of the observatory and back into the  _ Mother of Invention _ .

“Goddammit,” York groaned, prying off his helmet and pressing a hand to his good eye. “Delta? Delta, you there?”

Washington winced, expecting a repeat of moments ago, but the AI appeared over his shoulder, looking as normal as he ever did.

“Yes, Agent York.”

“Run a diagnostic.” 

“I do not see why that is necessary, York, I am functioning fine.” 

“Then what the  _ fuck  _ was that?”

“I… I do not know, Agent York. The name the Director used seemed to induce a glitch in all present AI units.” 

“A glitch?” 

“Yes. It should not happen again, Agent York. Would you like me to administer painkillers?”

“No, no, I can… I can grab some from Recovery.”

“I think everyone who was there is going to.” 

“Yeah… I think I’m gonna go lay down…” Washington said, turning towards the Freelancer sleeping quarters. 

“You alright, Wash?”

“Yeah, I’m… Yeah, I just need to lay down. I’ll see you guys at dinner.” 

“Alright. See ya later, Wash.” York called as Washington started walking, already hoping for the comfort of his bunk. The anger, the confusion, all of it was gone. He was tired. Some sleep would do him good. 

Hopefully, Carolina would be alright when he woke up again. At least alright enough to talk to him.


End file.
